Vessel propelling and steering mechanism



v A. F. O' BANNON VESSEL PROPELLING AND STEERING MECHANISM Oct. 9, 19512 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1947 9 mm Q QN Q m Z l 9 MN OM. .m on lF- E 5X 8 1 All}: .1 Q1} 9 L i: R, 8 EN NN NIIWHIJH FIIIL w. M Q

Oct. 9, 1951 A. F. OBANNON VESSEL PROPELLING AND STEERING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1947 fllllllllllllnulllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAIII/VI I III/Ill III/I III/IIII/IIIIIII/I Andrew F. O'Bannan PatentedOct. 9, 1951 VESSEL PROPELLING AND STEERING MECHANISM Andrew F. OBannon,Los Angeles, Calif. Application December 17, 1947, Serial No. 792,149

2 Claims.

conveniently and effectively employed on boats,

ships, and the like, and the principal object of the invention is toprovide a device of the character herein described, wherein theconventional propeller screw is substituted by an oscillating andundulating blade, whereby more efficient utilization of the source ofmotive power is realized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the typedescribed wherein a plurality of propelling members may be employed inmultiple and wherein, by partially rotating the entire propelling unitabout a vertical axis, convenient and effective steering of theassociated vessel is effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vessel propellingand-steering mechanism which is simple in construction, which may beeasily and conveniently manipulated, and which will not easily becomedamaged.

' An additional object of the invention is to provide a vesselpropelling and steering mechanism which may be conveniently employed onvessels of various type and sizes, which will readily lend itself toeconomical manufacture, and which is otherwise well adapted for thepurpose for which it is intended.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects asmay become apparent as this specification proceeds, the inventionconsists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention, the same beingtaken substantially in the plane of the line |-l in Figure 4 and beingshown in association with a vessel illustrated in cross section;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 2-2 in Figure 1 and showing the mechanism at standstill;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken sub stantially in the plane ofthe line 4-4 in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, similar to that shown in Figure 2,but illustrating the mechanism in motion.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of a vessel propelling and steering mechanism designatedgenerally by the reference character It], the same embodying in itconstruction a carrier assembly or turntable ll provided within thestern portion 12 of a vessel I3.

The carrier assembly ll consists of a lower race portion l4, an upperrace portion 15 and an annular roller unit [6 which is interposedbetween the two racers l4, l5 as will be clearly apparent. The raceportion I4 is stationary, being rigidly secured to or formed integrallywith the hull of the vessel, and it will be noted that an arcuate slotor opening ll extends partially around the race portion M, as is bestshown in Figure 4. The purpose of this slot will be hereinafter morefully described.

A power unit it, assuming any suitable form, such as for example, anelectric motor, an internal combustion engine, a steam engine, or thelike, is mounted upon the upper, rotatable race i5 of the carrier II,this power unit being operatively connected by selectively actuateddrive means in of any conventional type to a central, vertical pivot 59which is non-rotatably mounted at the center of the carrier. A gear 20"is secured to the pivot l9 and the gear means 20 operatively movesaround it when the power unit i8 is energized, whereby the race portionl5 of the carrier may be caused to rotate in either direction, asdesired. This structural arrangement provides the steering mechanism,which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The power unit 18 also includes a laterally, projecting driven shaft 2cprovided with a pair of eccentrics 21, these including eccentric disks2| and, straps 2i" which are operatively connected as at 22 to suitablecranks 23 provided on a pair of vertical mounting pivots 24.

These pivots are rotatably journaled in suitable bearings 25 on thepower unit is and are also rotatably journaled in the upper race portionit of the carrier ll. Moreover, the pivots 24 extend freely through theaforementioned slot Ii and the lower end portions of the pivots carryvertically disposed, spaced parallel propelling blades 26.

It will be noted that the pivots 24 are connected to the end portions ofthe blades 26 and that the blades are disposed in the vertical plane or"the respective pivots, as will be clearly understood.

The bladesZEi are formed from flexible, more or less resilient materialand are capable of undulatory movement, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

It should be understood that the power unit l8 may be controlled so asto selectively rotate the carrier II through the drive means 26 andimpart rotation to the driven shaft 20. As has been already stated,rotation of the carrier H is utilized for steering purposes, whereasrotation of the shaft 20 will be transmitted through the medium of theeccentrics 2| and the pivots 24 to produce an oscillatory movement ofthe blades 26. when movement of this character is imparted to theblades, the blades will become undulated as shown in Figure 5, and as aresult of these undulations, forward thrust will be im-- parted to thevessel. It should, of course, be understood that when oscillation of theblades ceases, the blades possess sunicient resiliency to return totheir normal, flat condition, as shown in Figure 2.

The blades 26 are, of course, disposed below the water line 21, andwhile it is appreciated that water may enter into the stern portion l2of the vessel through the slot 11, it should be explained that the sternportion 12 merely constitutes what may be referred'to a streamlinedenclosure for the propelling and steering mechanism which,

as" a whole; mayfun'ction"satisfactorily under water. eemesstosay, thefwater is prevented from'gaini'ng access to'the interior of the vessel bymeans 01 a"'suitabl'e' bulkhead 28 which separates the stern portion I2fromtheremainder of thehull. i

It'should be also stated that the arrangement 0f the ecbentlics 2iuponme Shaft is Such as to facilitate'synchrorii'zed oscillation andundulationorthebl'a'des 26;s'oas'to prevent vibration.

In order to prevent the blades 'zs'riom becom in'gkritangl'ed withunder-sea weedsfand the like, apair of'deflectoffinsfiaare providedbelow the carrier H, these'finsiing' fnbunted at one end thereof "on theaforementioned pivots 24,

while a: cross memento" connects the mid-link of the arcuate slot [7facilitates rotation of the carrier :1 whilesteeri ng that the slot 1 1providesblearance for the pivots 2 4, so that the port or staboard"deflection of the entire unit may "It is believed that the advant esand use of the invention will be clearly appare t from the foregoingdisclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at" this point'is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredemblodiinentof this invention it "is to be understood that minor changesin the details of constructionfcombination and arrangement of parts may,be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is c a e a ne 1. Combinedpropelling and steering mechanism of the class described, comprising aturntable mounted in the stern of a vessel and rotatab e in a horizontalplane, a pair of vertical pivot pins rotatably journalled attransversely spaced points inthe peripheral portion of said turntableand projecting upwardly and downwardly therefrom; apair of flexiblepropelling blades secured toand extending rearwardly from lower endportions of the respective pivot pins, a pair of cranks secured to upperend portions or the respective p= motor mounted on said turntable for110 tion therewith and including a horizontal drivesnaa" extendingrearwardly into the space between said pins',a7pa1r of opposingeccentrics seeuredl wean drive shaft and operatively conmeted" tothe'respective' cranks whereby said lilades may be oscillatedsimultaneously in opposite directions, and means driven by said motorforrotating' said turntable 2 combination with a vessel having a sternportion provided in" the bottom thereof'with an arcuate slot, a combinedpropelling and steering i ee r ainie entree turntable hd in saidsi rn Prtia. r qqne sa t a Slot an feta -a 1 1 b iioi a lane'a pair piv dt pinsrotatably joi1 rnal1ed at transversely sna edm nis n he e i he al Po ono a turntable and projecting downwardly through sa d l t, air ifiex hlepr el la cure "t and estensi n ear ar l from ow and q t onsof he e pectv ivot pins, a a of cranlgs secured to upper. end portions of therespective pins, a motor mounted on said turnab ofqr rotat on, herewi hand nc di a horizon al d i sha t. exten in r a w dly t t s ac betweenaid pinsfa pair f pp n cen rics. t se ured s id d iv haft and Operatelyconnec edto the r spectiv ranks where y said lad s may. be scillatedsimultaneously. in

opposite directions, and means driven. by said motor; for rotatin sa dturntable.

ANDREW F. OBANNON.

EEliliNQ -S lT The following references are orrecord in the file a? thia i n N TED STA E-$- AT N

